Cate and Erik talk about catching planes, waking people up at airports, and what's really going on with punching superman. They also talk about the difficulties of maintaining important relationships with ADHD and executive dysfunction. Erik successfully keeps from ranting about The Flash.

Perfect for adults with ADHD who love genuine, unfiltered conversations about neurodivergent childhood experiences and how our scattered minds connect memories. Subscribe for more ADHD-friendly storytelling!

PREORDER "The ADHD Field Guide for Adults" ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3Kjd4R2⁠⁠

Get Tickets to see Cate LIVE!

https://catieosaurus.com/tour-dates

It's a Christmas Miracle! We know that a LOT of you listen to the Turkey Episode every year, but we thought it would be fun to drop this year's Live Show edition. God Bless us, everyone, indeed.

(Don't forget to pre-order the book).

If you want to see what's going on, head on over to youtube.com/catieosaurus

As Cate and Erik recover from recording their audiobook, they discuss managing burnout, showing up for yourself when the going gets rough, and how to intentionally rest. Erik promises to warn Cate if he ever arranges for her to meet Elmo.

Key topics: How to show up for yourself and others when you have ADHD, How to recover from burnout by limiting your cognitive load, emotional load, and identity load.

Perfect for adults with ADHD who love genuine, unfiltered conversations about neurodivergent childhood experiences and how our scattered minds connect memories. Subscribe for more ADHD-friendly storytelling!

PREORDER "The ADHD Field Guide for Adults" ⁠https://bit.ly/3Kjd4R2⁠

Cate and Erik talk about doomscrolling, and how the infinite-scroll social media feed can take hold on an ADHD mind. They also talk about mongooses (mongeese?) for a surprisingly long amount of time.

Key topics: How doomscrolling takes hold on people with ADHD, how artificial intelligence apps cause doubt on the internet, methods of cutting down on doomscrolling, mongooses and how cute they are.

Perfect for adults with ADHD who love genuine, unfiltered conversations about neurodivergent childhood experiences and how our scattered minds connect memories. Subscribe for more ADHD-friendly storytelling!

PREORDER "The ADHD Field Guide for Adults" https://bit.ly/3Kjd4R2

CONTENT WARNING: direct references to self-harm throughout

Cate and Erik get honest about their history with self harm, how it started, and where they are now.

Key topics: how ADHD can lead to self-harm, how poor-impulse control can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms for boredom.

Perfect for adults with ADHD who love genuine, unfiltered conversations about neurodivergent childhood experiences and how our scattered minds connect memories. Subscribe for more ADHD-friendly storytelling!

PREORDER "The ADHD Field Guide for Adults"

https://bit.ly/3Kjd4R2

Cate and Erik talk about what to do do when your systems fail, and how to troubleshoot systems to make them stick. Cate gives updates on her upcoming tour, including her fast-approaching "Turkey from A Christmas Carol" live show. Erik slaps a water bottle and lakes the sound it makes.

Key topics: Dealing with negative inner voices, pathological demand avoidance, how to make systems for ADHD, what to do when systems fail. Perfect for adults with ADHD who love genuine, unfiltered conversations about neurodivergent childhood experiences and how our scattered minds connect memories. Subscribe for more ADHD-friendly storytelling!

Pre-order the ADHD Field Guide for Adutls

https://bit.ly/3Kjd4R2

ADHD storytelling meets childhood nostalgia as Erik and Cate bounce through secret forts, first computers, and teenage rebellion. This neurodivergent conversation captures the authentic ADHD experience of connecting seemingly random memories, from discovering computers in secret passages to stress-inducing DARE programs and early internet adventures.

Key topics: childhood fort-building, technology evolution, TI-84 calculators, typing games, high school experiences, media literacy, and growing up with undiagnosed ADHD in the 90s/2000s. Perfect for adults with ADHD who love genuine, unfiltered conversations about neurodivergent childhood experiences and how our scattered minds connect memories. Subscribe for more ADHD-friendly storytelling!

Pre-order the ADHD field guide for adults

https://bit.ly/3Kjd4R2

Pathological Demand Avoidance, Stardew Valley Routines, and Breaking Mental Health Patterns

In this episode, Cate and Erik sit down to discuss pathological demand avoidance (PDA) and how it affects daily life for adults with ADHD. They explore the challenging cycle of avoiding tasks specifically because they feel like things you're "supposed" to do, even when you genuinely want to do them. Erik shares his personal journey of recognizing PDA patterns in everything from reading books to maintaining routines, and how past experiences with authority figures continue to influence present-day behaviors.

The conversation takes an unexpected turn into how video games, particularly Stardew Valley, can teach valuable lessons about building sustainable routines and breaking the all-or-nothing thinking patterns common in ADHD. They discuss the concept of "practicing" behaviors rather than committing to permanent changes, and how this reframing can help overcome executive function challenges.

Cate and Erik also dive into practical strategies for partners and loved ones who want to support someone with PDA without inadvertently triggering oppositional responses. They explore the delicate balance between encouragement and giving space, and share insights about using character-based approaches inspired by shows like The Rehearsal to build confidence in challenging situations.

Additional topics include the therapeutic value of routine-building in gaming environments, exposure therapy through low-stakes practice, and how understanding your own mental health patterns can lead to breakthrough moments in therapy and personal growth.

(don't get mad we have a new media guy and he told us we have to start writing better podcast descriptions so people can find us on google HE HATES FUN BOOOOO (just kidding we love you) )

#adhd #adhdpodcast